Method of manufacturing gas.



J. W. HORNSEY.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2I.19H.

1,159,675, I v Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

J. W. HORNSEY.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED F EB.2I. 1911.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 2.

i 1 i 1 [5 y/ A A 27 f.

1 i i 1 l 1 1371mm: ooeo 5] mac wfoz To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. HORNSEY, OF SUMMIT. NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL REDUCTION GAS AND BY-PRODUCTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD OF .MANUFACTURING GAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed February 21, 1.911. Serial No. 609,956.

Be it known that I, Joux IV. HORNSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, Union county, New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Method of Manufacturing Gas, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of apparatus suitable for use in carrying out my invention, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

My invention relates primarily to the manufacture of gases for illuminating or other purposes, and is especially designed for the production of such gases by a continuous and uninterrupted operation, though I do not limit it thereto, as it is well adapted to many other operations, involving the application of heat and chemical action in the treating of materials.

In carrying out my method as applied to the manufacture of combustible gases from carbonaceous materials, I am enabled to first extract coal gas, and then to convert the carbon of the non-volatile residuum or coke, into water gas, thus converting all of the combustible'elements of the coal into gaseous or vaporous products. Both the coal gas and water gas are produced continuously, and without any appreciable intermediate cooling of the coke. By reason of the continuous charging and discharging of my apparatus, which, in making gas, is kept constantly closed, combined with the use of a heating fluid out of contact withthe materiahI am enabled to save a much greater percentage of the by-products and of the gas than has heretofore been done.

My method also enables me to treat carbonaceous materials at such low temperatures that the resulting saving of by-products is very marked, though I may, when/necessary, in these or other transformations, utilize high temperatures, or temperatures best adapted to securethe results desired by reason of the intimate and immediate transfer of heat to the particles of the material to he acted upouand transformed, the heat being transmitted directly to the particles of material, and not conducted through a shell or layer of transformed or partially transformed material or passed in varying degrees of intensity through the hap-hazard interstices of an inert mass of material subdivided only into comparatively large lumps or masses.

Other advantages obtained by the use of my method are the utilization of the same heating gases for transforming the coal into coal gas andlwater gas; for separating the by-products therefrom, and intreatment preliminary thereto, as well as a progressive utilization of the heating gases by passing them successively through a plurality of zones, requiring successively lower temperatures, and the maintenance of such constant temperatures at these various zones as may be best adapted to the various'successive treatments.

Referring to the drawings, A, B, and C are rotating vessels which are mounted in suitable bearings and may be driven by any well known means.

In the vessel A, 2 is a hopper for the materia-l'which leads into the intake or feeding device 3. At the discharge end 4 of the vessol A is the ofi'take 5 which leads into the discharge pipe (5. 7 is the inlet pipe for the drying medium such as hot air or gas, and 8 is the outlet for this gas. Within the vessel A are arranged cradles or buckets 9 and check rings 10.

In the vessel B at the feed end 11 is an intake 12, and an ofi'take 13 at the discharge end 14 which leads into the'discharge pipe 15. 16 are fines or heating passages through which the heating gases are led from the pipe 17 into the pipe 18 which connects with the inlet pipe 7 of the vessel A through the' fan casing 19. In the internal circumference of the vessel B are lifting blades or buckets 20and check rings 21. 22 is the gas outlet which leads off to a suitable receptacle.

The discharge pipe 15 leads into the intake 23 of the vessel C at its feed end 24. are heating flues located in the internal periphery to which gas may be supplied from burners positioned at 26. From the fiuesthe gases are led away through the pipe 17 to the vessel B. 27 is a pipe for steam or other reagent which enters the vessel C preferably through the feed end 24. The gas outlet 28 at the discharge end 29 leads through the boiler 30, which supplies heat for the steam, to a suitable receptacle. The lining of the vessel 0 is preferably composed of fire-resisting material having buckets 31 and check rings 32 positioned thereon.

All of the vessels'A, B and C are preferably inclined from their feed ends to their discharge ends.

In carrying out my invention with especial reference to the treatment of carbonaceous materials, I introduce the material into the vessel A, in which the material is to be dried and partially heated, through the hopper 2 and the intake 3. As the vessel A is preferably slightly inclined toward the discharge end 4 the material is advanced by the rotation. of the cylinder and is discharged through the offtake 5 and the discharge pipe 6 into the intake of the vessel B. The drying medium, preterablyhot air or gas, is supplied through the pipe 7, and carries with it in its discharge from the vessel A through the outlet 8 any moisture, which it is desired to remove from the material. The rotation ofthe vessel A and the operation of the buckets or cradles 9 causes the material. to be showered again and again through the hot air or gas and permits a thorough drying of the material while the rings 10 prevent its too rapid passage through the vessel.

The material passes into the, vessel B through the intake in a heated condition, and as. the vessel'is, inclined. from the. feed end ll toward the discharge end 14 the material is advanced by the rotation ofthe vessel and is kept. in. a' broken up and finely d ivided s'tateb' the revolution of the vessel, by'the lifting effectof the buckets or cradles 20 and by the operation of the. rings 21. The vessel B. is heated by gases passing through the circumferentially. arranged Hues 16', and as the. material isrepeatedly impinged upon the internal'periphery of-the cylinder, it is thus quickl. brought to a temperature at which gasi cation takes place, and the gas which, is here produced, together with an by-products released from the material, passes out through. the pipe or conduit 22 by which it isled. away into a suitable rcceptacle for further treatment The residue of the material in the form of coke, passes out through the ofltake 1'3j and the discharge pipe 15' into the intake 23 0f the vessel C.

As the vessel ()"is mchned from the feed end 24 to the discharge end 29the rotation of the cylinder advances the material toward the discharge end and it is continually and repeatedly showered down upon thev side walls of the vessel which are heated by. the. fines 25. From the discharge end 29 of the vessel the waste material or residue may be withdrawn in any suitable manner. The inipingement upon the heated'surfac'e is facilitated by thebuckets til and the temperature of the material is raised quickly tothe desired point, which, in treating. carbonaceous materials for the production of water gas. is over 1600 F. Steam,- for the production of.

waterga s, is introduced through the pipe 27,

and the gas is drawn oil through the outlet 28 through the boiler 30 to a suitable receptacle. Instead of supplying steam through the pipe 27-, I maysupply the water necessary to form such steam, or I may supply part or all of the water by introducing the coke in a wetted condition. Where it is desired to enrich the Water gas so as to give itilluminating power, I may introduce a suitable fluid hydrocarbon or other en- *3 ricliing material into the vessel \v1th the coke, with the steam or separately.

The material, Whether coal. orany suitone hydrocarbon such as wood, sawdust, peat, lignite, begasse or the like, moves in one direction through. the successive rotating cylinders, while the heating gases move. in the opposite direction. In this manner the heat is utilized to the best advantage, be-

cause, the final operation in the method requires the maximum. intensity of heat, and the preceding operatlonsutihze the heat of the heating gases 1n the dmumshlng do grees of intensity required, until the heating so as to produce the most efiicient results in 2.

view of the temperature requirements of each particular stage or the complete method; -Thus the material, whichis preferably pulverized or in any other conveniently divided form, is subjected. to the action of constantly increasin degrees 0. temperature as it advances through the entire system, thereby removing the volatile constituents' of the material in reverse proportion to their volatility, and in this manner the volatile. hydrocarbon and other compounds. are not decomposed into their constituent elements, as. would be the case here they overheated. and the yield ofby-products is thereby increased without producing quantities of heavy tar and pitch.

The theoretical gasification temperature for. coalgas is'approxim'ately 752 F., while the temperature of disassociation. of ammonia is 932 F. The average yield of arm Inonia now obtained in coal gas making is 14 to 15 per cent. of the theoretical amount. and this loss'is occasioncd by carrying out the process of gasification at a temperature exceeding 932 F., a condition essential to the operation of a coal gas plant operating by present methods.

y my improved method I am enabled to complete gasification to the extent of distillingpractically all of'the condcnsible volperature below 932 F.,

atile matter contained in the coal at a temthus recovering more nearly the theoretical yield of ammonia. The volatile matter remaining in the coal after it has been subjected to this temperature -is practically non-condensible, after it has been gasified by the action of a higher degree of heat. I therefore pass the coal, which is practically. coke, from the vessel B into the vessel C, after-subjecting it to a temperature of approximately 900 F., in the vessel B,'and the remaining volatile matter in the coke is then extracted in the vessel C, and serves'to partially carburet the water gas formed therein. In this manner I am enabled to extract the condensible volatile matter of the coal without breaking it up into its constituent gaseous elements, as is the case with the present processes utilizing high temperatures, and in addition to recovering more nearly the theoretical yield of ammonia, I also recover a greater quantity of tarry distillate of low specific gravity, which can more readily be re-distilled than the present grades of coal tar.

the case ,may be.

In the production of coal and water gas,

as described, it is to be noted that the-heat generated by the combustion of the fuel gas losses, while others may require only a low temperature,lower than that resulting from a perfect combustlon of the fuel gas.

I may, accordingly, supply additional heating gases at any suitable point or may dilute the heating gases or allow part of them to escape, or be diverted to other uses, as In order to avoid all danger of explosion in the dryer, which might result in case air were added to dilute the heating gases, should they otherwise be so hot as to carry off the more-volatile constituentsof the substance undergo- I ing treatment, I may pass the heating gases before entering the dryer through a cooling device of any well known type such as a condenser, boiler or economizer, through which, and out of contact with the heating 7 gases, is passed air, steam, water or other fluid as the case may be. In this manner any surplus heat may be -utilized to preheat oil or other liquid hydrocarbons for en-- riching purposes.

cylinder, but to introduce the material into the cylinder employing the highest temperature, and provide each successive cylinder with a decreasing temperature by carrying the heated gases through each successive cylinder.

It is particularly to be noted that my method, especially when applied to the production of illuminating or other gases from carbonaceous materials, is preferably continuous from start to finish, and that when so applied the gases are produced continuously and completely in continuously successive operations, whereby there is no loss of heat from cooling or from stoppage or transfer of the material from one portion of the apparatus to the next successive operating part. The heat decomposition transformation or .change is not to'be considered as taking place merely-where the material is in contact with the heated walls of the containing vessel, but takesplace throughout all parts of the vessel whereever the range of temperature is suflicient for the purpose, although it is clear that the action is more vigorous in those portions of the vessel where the temperature is most suitable; In some cases I may, if I-so' desire, operate under an increased or decreased pressure, as m the case of a process such asis performed; by the aid of a vacuum pan or a digester. v

' In carrying out my invention I am enabled to 'maintain the various cylinders at a constantly maintained.temperature, and can also vary the temperature at one end of any of the cylinders from the temperature at the other end. Another advantage which I obtain is the utilization of the heating gas required for the water gas machine to heat both the coal gas machine and the dryer without any further expenditure of heat, since these last two pieces of apparatus re quire progressively lower temperatures.

f Various changes in my method may be made by those skilledin the art without departing from my-invention. Nor do I confine my invention to the use of apparatus in the form described and shown in the drawings i nor to the particular operations described which constitute merely preferred embodiments of my invention. Thus, the heating tubes may be' -single or in multiple,

may be centrally or circumferentially disposed as regards the casing of the various cylinders or vessels, and conveyers or other devices of various sorts may be used as the feeding means by which the material is fed in or withdrawn from the various cylinders, or various forms of generating the heat for the heating fiues may be used.

lVh-at I claim is 1. The herein described method of continuously manufacturing gas, which consists in treating carbonaceous material in a closed vessel at a'moderate temperature for the removal. of the coal gas therefrom, subsequently treating the residuum from the first vessel. in a second closed vessel at a higher temperature in the presence of steam for the generation. of water gas, the material in both vessels being constantly agitated and maintained in a finely divided state by showering the treated material again and again down through the treating medium.

2. The herein described method of continuously manufacturing gas, which consists in introducing carbonaceous material in a finely divided. form in a closed vessel heated to a low temperature for the removal of moisture, automatically removing the material therefrom to a second closed vessel, treating it therein at a temperature sufiiciently high for the removal of coal gas therefrom, automatically transferring the residue to a third closed vessel containing a steam atmosphere, treating the material therein at a still higher temperature and generating water gas thereby, the material in all steps being constantly maintained in a finely divided codition by showering it again and again down through the treating medium.

3. The herein described method of continuously gasifying materials, whici consists in passing the material through a succession of closed vessels of successively increasing temperatures, treating the material in one of the closed vessels for removal of a runners sels, showering the material again and again down through each vessel and thereby ex posing the particles of the material repeatedly to the action of heat and gas, and treating it in one vessel for the production of coal gas and in another vessel for the pro-- duction of waten gas, the vessels being heated to progressively increasing temperatures by gases which impart to the succeeding vessels a progressively lowering temperature in direct proportion. to the heat required therein for the generation of coal or water gas.

5. The herein described method of continuously manufacturing coal and water gas, which consists in passing carbonaceous material through a closed vessel, treating it therein for the generation of coal gas therefrom, and subsequently treating it in the presence of steam in a second vessel for the generation of water gas, the material in each vessel being maintained in a finely divided condition by showering it again and again down through each vessel, whereby the particles of the material are repeatedly exposed to the action of the heated gases within the vessel.

6; The herein described method of continuously manufacturing coal and water gas, which consists in passing carbonaceous material through a closed vessel, treating it therein and removing coal gas therefrom, transferring the residue to a second closed vessel without substantial loss of heat, agitating the residue in said second vessel and treating it therein in the presence. of steam for the generation of water gas, the material in each vessel being maintained in a finely divided condition by showering it again and again down through each vessel, whereby the particles of the material are repeatedly exposed to the action of the heated gases within the vessel.

7. The herein described method of continuously manufacturing gas, which con sists'in decomposing the material. in a succession of closed vessels by successively in-' creasing temperatures, treating the material in at least one of the vessels with a chemical reagent capable of acting on the material, whereby the material is gasified, the gasification being assisted by the showering of the material again and again down through each vessel and repeatedly exposing fresh surfaces of the particles to the action of the gas generated in that particular vessel.

JOHN W. HORNSEY. iVitnessesi M. G. MILLER, Tnoams J. KIRK. 

